Endotracheal intubation is a medical procedure in which a tube is placed through a patient's mouth and into the patient's trachea to create an artificial air passage for breathing. Typically, an endotracheal tube is used on a patient undergoing surgery to provide for the administration of anesthesia, when ventilation of the lungs is necessary, or when a patient is somehow injured and has lost the ability to breath independently (e.g., in an emergency-type setting).
As is known in the art, in the human anatomy, the epiglottis sits over the glottis opening to the larynx to prevent ingested material (e.g., food) from entering the trachea during eating. In order to insert an endotracheal tube into the trachea, the epiglottis is displaced from the glottal opening. During a conventional intubation procedure, the patient is positioned horizontally, their head is tilted back, and the mouth is opened as widely as possible. The laryngoscope is then inserted through the mouth and into the throat, and used to displace the tongue and epiglottis so that the glottis is exposed. The patient's larynx may then be seen through the mouth (or via a video display when using a video laryngoscope). The endotracheal tube is then inserted, through the mouth along the blade of the laryngoscope, and into the glottis and trachea. The endotracheal tube can accommodate a stylette, which is used to aid in inserting the endotracheal tube into the patient's trachea.
In emergency-type settings, this intubation procedure may be performed by individuals with varying levels of medical experience and skill (e.g., emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, physicians in training, emergency room physicians, etc.). Because these individuals may lack skill and experience in performing these intubation procedures, the failure rate of such procedures can be relatively high (e.g., resulting in damage to the patient's trachea or other tissue, or more serious consequences such as brain damage and death).
Further, in the non-emergency setting, such as when administering anesthesia, endotracheal intubation can be difficult when a patient's throat and/or trachea region is somehow obstructed, or the anatomic path from the mouth to the trachea is tortuous. Conventional intubation devices and techniques may cause damage to tissue within the patient's airway (throat) and/or the trachea region. Damage to the airway can lead to swelling and possibly bleeding, which makes intubation even more challenging, e.g., with multiple attempts.